Ahmedabad: India showed a lot of intent while chasing 176 in the first ODI against West Indies. Going forward the team will continue to bat in a similar fashion, hinted Suryakumar Yadav here Tuesday. India chased down the target in just 28 overs to go one up in the three-game series. Suryakumar Yadav also feels that batting first isn’t really a big challenge for the side.
“Not really, I think, we have kept things really simple. We are going to bat the same way, we did in the last game. It is just that when we bat first, we need to try and bat till the end to have that defendable score, but the way we batted in the second innings in the last game, I think it was perfect,” Suryakumar stated.
“I think the tempo was nice, the intensity and the intent was really good, so there is nothing to change. I mean you just need to be safe and just express ourselves,” said the stylish batter ahead of second ODI.
Across the T20 and ODI format, Surya has batted at numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6. In the first ODI against West Indies, he came at No.5.
“It is not too different (batting at number five), I have been batting at all the positions and I am really flexible. So where ever the team management decides and wants me to bat, I am really flexible to bat at any position,” informed Suryakumar.
Ticked all boxes in the lung-opener
“We almost ticked all the boxes. We will try and repeat the same. That is always a challenge to repeat what we do in the first game everywhere, so let’s see, really looking forward,” informed Suryakumar.
According to Suryakumar, he also does a lot of net sessions at home. The motivation to play for the county comes from inside.
Suryakumar also talked about his wide range of strokes. “It all came from practice. I mean it was not that difficult, I knew I just had to work on few strokes, where I can get runs. So I was focussing on that and slowly kept working in the nets, did lot of match simulations when I was back home and with lot of practice it came automatically,” informed the Mumbai batter.
Suryakumar refused to divulge any detail on team combination with KL Rahul back in the side after missing the first game.
“This is a wrong department; you have asked a question to the wrong person (laughs). They (KL Rahul and Mayank) were seen in training. I am sure they coming back into the squad after quarantine, it makes our unit stronger and at the end of the day, it is all team management’s call. But yeah really happy to have them back,” stated Suryakumar.
Suryakumar also said that he can bowl if the team require him to do so. “Yes (I can contribute with the ball), whenever I will get an opportunity, I will bowl. I have been regularly bowling in the nets, whenever they (team management) feel, they can use me, always available,” Suryakumar said.
He also doesn’t like comparisons. “Sir let me be Suryakumar Yadav. With difficulty have played 5-7 games for India…but yes I am trying, whichever number I get to bat, and can win the team from any situation, so that will be my effort,” Suryakumar stated.
“Even if I bat first, I will do the same things, I will try to express (myself) and be fearless as I always am,” he said when asked about his comparisons with Michael Bevan.